Non-interfering fire-alarm signal-box



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

- J. J. RUDDIGK.

'NON-INTERFERING FIRE ALARM SIGNAL BOX. No. 404,438. Pateed June 4, 1889.

WITNESSES: 71 l/V VE/VTOR ATTORNEY.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

-J. J. RUDDIO-K. NON-INTERFERING FIRE ALARM SIGNAL BOX. No. 404,438. Patented June 4, 1889.

WITH/E8858.

% v AUOMH d UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. RUDDICK, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, TO THE INTERSTATE FIRE ALARM COMPANY, OF OMAHA,

NEBRASKA.

NON-INTERFERING FIRE-ALARM SIGNAL-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 404,438, dated June 4, 1889.

Application filed December 14, 1887. Serial No. 257,858. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN J. RUDDIOK, a citizen of the United States, residing in Richmond, in the county of Mayne and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Non-Interferin g Fire- Alarm Signal-Boxes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of my invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

A familiar cause of disturbance in the operation of fire-alarm-telegraph systems has always been what is known as interference. It is due to this that false or unintelligible signals are sounded on the gongs when two or more signal-boxes in the circuit are operated at or near the same instant of time. Until recently there have been no known means for obviating entirely the effect of this disturbing cause. The present invention is the result of an attempt to accomplish this end by means of mechanism located within the signal-boxes, and it is applicable to any fire-alarm system now in use, but specially to a closed-circuit system.

The distinguishing feature of this invention is that means are furnished whereby,

' when two boxes have been operated simultaneously, the signaling apparatus of both will be set in rotation, but only one will be electrically operative, that one being automati cally stopped when it has sent in its signal and the other continuing its rotation until its signal has also been transmitted.

In carrying out my invention I have introduced details of construction which will be fully described hereinafter, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

I have illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the mechanism contained within a signal-box. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, the gearing within the frame being omitted from the drawings. Fig. 3 is a diagram of the circuits, and Fig. 4 shows a detail.

In the drawings, A represents the frame of my signaling mechanism, and it consists of .tion shown in Fig. 2.

front and back plates, as shown, with the usual connecting-posts a.

\Vithin the frame is supported a train of gearing, which is operated bya spring on the winding-shaft B. This train of gearing serves to operate a number-wheel O, with which is rigidly connected a flanged disk or wheel D, having notches (Z in its flange d, for a purpose to be explained hereinafter. The number-wheel in the present instance is constructed of hard rubber and has projecting from its periphery pins 0 0, arranged in sequence in such a manner as to represent a given number. In this instance ,the pins are arranged to represent the number 24, and the number is repeated four times around the periphery of the wheel.

On the wheelD is secured a plate E, which projects at one end through one of the slots (Z beyond the periphery of the wheel. The projecting portion serves as a catch which'7o engages with a pin F and locks the gearing. The pin F is arranged to play within an arm G, which is secured to a post H, the latter post having attached to it an armature-lever I of the electro-magnet J. The upper partof the pin F is grasped by a yoke upon a lever K, which is pivoted centrally and extends backward into a position above or in front of the outer end of the post H, where the latter connects with the arm G. A bracket L extends in front of the outer end of the lever K and carries a push-rod M, which is normally held out by a spring N into the posi- In this position the inner end of the rod comes into close proximity to the end of the lever K, but does not press upon it. The end of the lever is thrown out by a flat spring 0, which is attached, as shown in Fig. 2, to the arm G. The last-named spring serves to keep the pin F normally in engagein ent with the projecting portion of the plate E.

The release of the mechanism is accomplished by pushing on the rod M, and thus tilting the lever K far enough to bring the pin out of engagement.

In the path of the pins 011 the nu mber-wheel is a lever P, which is pivoted, as shown, and has a spring connected with it for throwing it back after each pin passes. In being moved this lever serves to remove a spring contactpiece Q out of contact with a screw contactpiece R. The part Q is a platinum strip, and the part B is pointed with platinum, so as to make good the electrical contact. The strip is normally pressed against the contact-screw by an adjustable coiled spring S, and the latter spring, as well as all the contact parts, are contained within a hard-rubber case T, and are covered by a ti ght-fitting glass cover U, so as to protect the parts from dust. The contact-screw R is formed outside the easing into a binding-post 10, and the strip Q is also connected with the binding-post 11, mounted on the outside of the casin A second dust-proot circuit-controller, sim ilar to that already described, is located at the right in Fig. 1, but its lever P is operated, not by the pins of the nrunber-wheel, but by an extension G of the arm G. The lever P and extension G and the other parts connected therewith are so related that when the armature of the magnet J is close to the poles and the postll is tilted so as to carry the arm G into its extreme position to the right the extension G will throw the lever P into the position shown in Fig. 1 and break contact between the strip Q and the screw R. The reason for this will be explained hereinafter. The parts of the circuit-controller last described are given the same indicating-letters as the corresponding parts in the first one, with the addition of an exponent. The binding-posts are numbered 12 and 13.

Preparing now to describe the eleetical circuits, it will be seen that the binding-post 14 is secured to the front of the frame, and two binding-posts 15 and 16 are mounted upon one of the posts a. (See Fig. 2.) These binding-posts are all insulated, as is also the number-wheel.

Referring more especially to Fig. 3, the circuit passes from battery I to the bindingpost 14, and thence to binding-post 11. From there it passes by way of the strip Q, contact screw R, and binding-post 10 to the bindingpost 16, thence through the magnet J to the binding-post 15, and from there through other boxes Y Y, &c., and through the gong Z to the other pole of the battery. Between 11 and 15 there is a short circuit by way of the wire 0, binding-post 13, strip Q, contact-screw R, binding-post 12, and wire 7.

It has been stated already that the normal position of the box apparatus is that which it occupies when the pin F is in engagement with the projecting portion of the plate E that is, when the extension G is pressing the lever P into the position shown in Fig. 1.. Thatbein g the case, the shunt above described is normally open. For present purposes it maybe understood that the circuitof battery V passes normally through all the signalboxes by the path first describedthat is, through the magnets J. In practice a separate shunt z will be closed around the boxmagnets by the closing of the box-doorg but this separate shunt will be opened when the box is operated, and may therefore, for the present, be overlooked. Devices for accomplishing this result are already common in the art. It is understood, then, that the pin F stands normally outside the rim or flange (1 of the wheel D, the armature of the magnet J being close to its poles. A retractile spring V tends to withdraw the armature, and consequently to throw the pin F inward or to press it against the rim.

The circuits of all the boxes are the same. The mechanism already described is inelosed in ordinary signal-boxes of any type, and each box is started by pushing upon the push-rod M, which projects through the inner door of the box. When, new, the door of a box is opened and the rod is pushed, the pin F is carried out of engagement with the projecting portion of the plate E and the mechanism begins to rotate. It will be observed that the rim of the wheel D is notched in such a manner that immediately on being released the pin F will be free to pass inward, and will do so unless held by the attraction of the magnet .I on its armature. It is clear, however, that the magnet will retain its armature and hold the shuntcireuit broken, the circuit of the battery bein g through the magnet, as already described. This state of things will continue until the main circuit is broken, as by the tilting of the leverP by means of one of the pins 0 0. At the moment, however, when that takes place, or when the first of the pins, representing the number 24: in this instance, has tilted the lever far enough to break contact between Q and R the first notch has come to an end and the pin has passed behind the rim again, and is mechanically held in such a manner as to keep the short circuit open. This continues while the first two brakes of the circuit are taking place. Beyond this point the rim is again notched until the. first of the next four breaks of the circuit is ready to be made, when the notch comes to an end and the pin is held mechanically by the rim again until the four breaks are made. I have shown still another notch beyond this point, and I may increase the number at will; but I do not wish to limit myself to any particular number of notches. In any case, however, the notches will be arranged as above described, so that while the number-wheel is breaking the circuit the pin will be held out mechanically by the rim of the wheel and so keep the short circuit open. \Vhile this state of things continues it is evident that every time the circuit is broken through one of the numberpins a signal will be sounded on the gong Z and on any other gong or gongs thatmay be located in any part of the circuit.

This being the construction of each box separately, suppose, now, that two boxes are operated at or about the same moment. The result will be that one of the two boxes will be the first to break the circuit, or else both will break it at the same instant. Suppose one breaks it first. In that case the magnets of the two boxes will be de-energized and the armature and its lever will be thrown into the power of the spring V. first breaks the circuit, however, this will make no difference, because, as we have seen, the armature will be held close to the poles mechanically. In the other box the pin will pass inward and the short circuit, which has heretofore been broken between Q and R, will be closed. That being the case, the magnet .I of the second box will be permanently cut out and will have no further control of the circuit until the short circuit around it is again broken. Meanwhile the first box will go on and send in its signal,while the pin F in the second box will rest inside the rim of the wheel D. After the first box has sent in its signal four times repeatedthat is, after the wheel D has made one complete revolution it is stopped by the engagement of the pin F with the projecting part of plate E. On the other hand, the pin F of the second box being within the rim is not caught, but slides upon the said plate and passes between the rim and a spring 6, which is attached to or formed on the said plate, as shown. This spring extends a little outsidethe edge of the rim, and as the pin passes through forces it out far enough to cause the short circuit to be broken at Q B through the extension G and the lever P. The other box having completed its signal and the circuit being complete, the armature J will now be energized and hold the parts in the position into which the spring e has thrown them. The mechanism, however, will not be stopped, but will continue to rotate until the signal of the second box has also been sent in.

Supposing that the two boxes break the circuit at the same instant, (and not one before the other, as in the case just cited,) both boxes will sound the gong, and if one mechanism rotates a little faster, than the other there may be a momentary confusion in regard to the first numeral, but as soon as the second notch is reached one or the other of them must hold the circuit, and there can be no further trouble. In any case three correct signals will be sent, leaving no possibility of mistake in the reading of the alarm.

Of course the wheel in every box is notched to correspond to the number of that box, as represented by the number and arrangement of the pins on the number-wheel. There being no two numbers alike in any fire-alarmtelegraph system it is evident that no two wheels will be notched alike, and therefore that no two signals can'be confused for longer than while the first box number is being signaled once. After that one of the boxes will send its signal complete, and the rest will follow in order. This is true whether two boxes or ten are pushed at once.

It is clear that a coiled springmightbe used In the box which in place of the fiat spring 0. In like manner I do not wish to confine myself to a spring for operating the signaling mechanism when a weight would do as well. Other details may be varied without modifying the essential construction of my apparatus.

The rim d of the wheel D may be formed controllers in the main and short circuits,.

in combination with means for keeping the short circuit open whenever the main circuit is being operated by its circuit-controller, such means consisting of an armature for the said electro-magnet operating to hold a lever in position to keep the circuit-controller in the short circuit open, and an annulus provided with notches positioned with relation to the number-groups on the circuit-controller and arranged in the path of the lever, the said lever and the said number-groups forming positive elements of the combination.

2. The combinat-ion,with the number-Wheel and the rim or flange carried thereby, of notches in the said rim positioned with relation to the number-groups on the wheel, and a spring-pressed arm having a pin that bears against the said rim, both the number-wheel and the arm being adapted to engage with separate circuit-controllers, and the parts beingso arranged that the pin always bears against a solid portion of the rim whenever the number-wheel is in a position to operate its circuit-controller, the rim being cut away at other points, so as to afford no obstruction to the pin, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with the nu mber-wheel 0, having the teeth 0, of the flanged wheel D and notches d, &c., the magnet J, armaturelever I, spring V, post H, arm G, lever K, and pin F, and the detent engaging with the latter, and the circuit-controllers governed, respectively, by the numberwheel and the arm G, as and for the purpose set forth.

4:. The combination, with the arm G and its extension G, and the circuit-controller with which the latter engages, of the pin F and the notched traveling circular detent D, and the spring 6, for throwing the arm out so as to break the circuit, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination, with an electro-magnet in a main circuit, a train controlled there- 'by, and a short circuit around the magnet and circuit-controllers in both main and short circuits, of a lever connected with the armature of the electro-magnet for holding the short circuit normally open, a distant circuitcontroller in the main circuit for releasing the said lever, and a spring acting on the In Witness whereof I have hereunto alfixed said lever momentarily to break the short my name in the presence of two subsel'lbmg eu'euit, the said spring being attached to a Witnesses.

moving part; of the train, whereby, on the JOHN J. RUDDIOK. 5 opening of the circuit at a distant point, the \Vitnesses:

lever will be released and afterward restored THOMAS R. POLGLASE,

by the spring, as set forth. 1 \VILBERN K. BRAD'BURY. 

